Inspired by a sustainable education model developed by a grassroots organization in a remote area of Haiti.

inspired by haitians

The partner school strategy was inspired by a sustainable education model developed by a grassroots organization in a remote area of Haiti. We select schools with strong leadership but lacking in resources. Together with them we develop an accord and work plan for accompanying them over the course of a set number of years. During this time we build capacity through substantial training, improve the school’s infrastructure, and provide access to seed capital and support to create a social business helping them along the road toward long-term financial independence.

Our Partner Schools

ANONSIYASYON

Founded in 1996 with a vision to provide underprivileged students a quality education which allows them to develop their skills and talents, improve the condition of their lives, and participate in the development of their community and country.

Bèl Platon

Bèl Platon Community School was founded in 2001 by a group of young teachers with the vision of creating a modern school which offers an alternative education based in respect and an appreciation for personal development. It uses participatory methods and hands-on learning techniques to provide a quality education for everyone involved, including parents, students and teachers.

Cabois

Cabois Community School’s mission is to provide a quality education to the children of the poorest families in Cabois. Situated in the countryside outside Leogane, it encourages local development by teaching students to participate in their education and in the life of their community.

Cité Soleil

Cité Soleil Community School (CSCS) was founded in 2001 with the mission to educate, nourish, support, and orient children and youth in the very challenging community of Cité Soleil. The school’s vision is to replace the guns, gangs, poor habits and bad tendencies of Cité Soleil’s youth with an appreciation for books, technology, positive social orientation, spirituality, and academic pursuits through education.

Henri Christophe

Henri Christophe Community School was founded by Jean Francois Marc Dorvilas in 1982. Mr. Dorvilas was a great believer in education and could not stand by and let the many children who so desperately wanted to learn to simply go without an education.

Institution Mixte Nao

Institution Mixte Nao Community School (IMN) was founded in 2002. The vision of IMN is to not only teach students to read and write, but to help them uncover their strengths and talents and learn to use them in positive ways.

o Engage teachers, parents, and students to continually improve their school

o Become sustainable long-term

o Share their learning with others to replicate success

Below is a list of the schools that Haiti Partners currently partners with. We are interested in developing relationships with individuals, groups and schools in the US and elsewhere to help us support these partner schools. If you are interested in partnering with us to help support any of these schools, please contact us at: info@haitipartners.org

o Cité Soleil Community School; Port-au-Prince: 180 students

o Cabois Community School; Darbonne (20 miles West of PaP): 162 students

o Henri Christophe Community School; Darbonne: 186 students

o IMN Community School; Darbonne: 189 students

o Anonsiyasyon Community School; Darbonne: 133 students

o Bèl Platon Community School; Island of La Gonâve: 142 students

Partner School Goals

For our Partner Schools, we don’t pay for everything. Our goal is to create a sustainable and replicable model that will help ensure that in the future all of Haiti’s children will have access to quality education, not just some.

We find Haitians who are already doing a good job and we come alongside to support them with teacher and leadership training, materials, some construction and repair work, and training and money for social enterprise. We want to help them do what they’re doing better. It’s a partnership between the impressive Haitians who run the school and Haiti Partners. Here’s the list of goals for our Partner Schools:

At least 50% of students are girls.

Curriculum includes (in addition to national curriculum) agricultural techniques for both rural and urban gardening; students spend time applying these techniques in the school garden.

Haitian-Creole is celebrated as a central element of Haitian culture.

Classroom management techniques do not permit corporal punishment.

Significant portion of school’s operating budget comes from social enterprise profits, managed by parents and school employees.

Weekly use of Reflection Circles or some other discussion-based education approach.

School staff receives training in Lectio Divina Bible study and are supported as deemed fit in using the method with students (With Christian schools it could be during regular school hours whereas with secular schools, it would be outside of normal school hours.)

Integrating parents into the life of their children’s school through planned strategies that include periodic Open Space meetings with parents, school teachers and school administration.

Celebrating children, which include honoring their rights and ensuring that there are appropriate relationships between students and teachers and director. (School has written policies that are enforced to make sure that inappropriate behavior is dealt with.)